Turning Point USA's Andrew Kolvet reflects on year without Charlie Kirk
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet spoke with Fox News Digital about how his organization has persevered one year after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) will be hosting a memorial for its founder Charlie Kirk, who was killed at Utah Valley University (UVU), on the first anniversary of his death, and a student group is planning a protest.
In a press release, TPUSA announced, "Turning Point USA will hold the ‘Freedom Built to Last Memorial’ on Sept. 10 to honor the faith-filled husband, father, and defender of free speech with a memorial that serves as a deliberate act of remembrance and a call for students and supporters to continue his life’s work."
The livestreamed event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. MT, will feature speeches by radio host Glenn Beck, Christian author Frank Turek and TPUSA officials.
Utah Valley University announced last month it would cancel classes and close its campus Sept. 10 for a day of healing, service and connection.
INSIDE CHARLIE KIRK’S EFFORT TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIVE VOICES
Attendees await the start of the memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium Sept. 21, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
However, some students have voiced opposition to the event.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, UVU’s Students for a Democratic Society club opposes the memorial and is planning to protest it Thursday evening before the TPUSA event begins. The group penned an open letter to campus administration that has reportedly been signed by more than 600 people.
"We, students of UVU, strongly condemn the decision to hand over our campus to TPUSA on September 10. As we approach the anniversary of this tragic event, it should be made clear that many of us will be further negatively affected by allowing TPUSA to occupy our campus on that day," students said in the open letter addressed to the campus administration.
"By closing the campus for the entire day ‘to provide time and space’ and emailing all students with details about the far-right political event hosted at our UCCU Center, President Anderson has aligned himself with the interests of Charlie Kirk’s openly racist and antagonistic organization, which intends to use a narrative of victimhood to provide cover for its campaign to advance chauvinistic and divisive ideas within our university."
GEORGETOWN STUDENTS PLAN CHARLIE KIRK 'LOOKALIKE CONTEST' ON ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ASSASSINATION
TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk appears at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10, 2025. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters)
According to the Tribune, UVU President Jon Anderson stressed the event is not sponsored by the university, but the school would be providing security. He defended allowing TPUSA to host the event on campus.
"As an institution, it’s important that we stay apolitical, that we don’t jump in the fray," he said. "Any entity could’ve used that space, and they chose to have that day. And we allowed them to do that."
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Flowers sit next to the Utah Valley University sign in a makeshift memorial for political activist Charlie Kirk Sept. 11, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
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Utah Valley University spokesperson Sharon Turner told Fox News Digital, "Universities are here to help people learn, exchange ideas and have thoughtful conversations, even when they disagree. We remain committed to free expression and constructive dialogue, while taking the appropriate steps to ensure those conversations can happen as safely and respectfully as possible. "
"We have been asked why TPUSA is permitted to host an event at the UCCU Center. Please note that the UCCU Center is available to our community as an event space when it is not is not in use by the university. The center is frequently used by a variety of local and national organizations. The university does not endorse the third-party activities presented at the UCCU Center.
"In alignment with the Utah System of Higher Education’s (USHE) guidance on institutional neutrality, UVU, including its leaders speaking on behalf of the institution, does not take official positions on political, social, or cultural issues unless they directly impact our mission, operations or core values. This neutrality ensures that our campus remains a true marketplace of ideas, where faculty, staff and students are empowered to express viewpoints without institutional bias."
Fox News Digital reached out to TPUSA for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
